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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/18/russian-cargo-ship-runs-aground-off-coast-of-cornwall-kuzma-minin
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| Cornwall coastguards try to refloat grounded Russian cargo ship | Cornwall coastguards try to refloat grounded Russian cargo ship |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A rescue operation is under way to try to refloat a Russian cargo ship that ran aground off a Cornish beach in gale force winds. | A rescue operation is under way to try to refloat a Russian cargo ship that ran aground off a Cornish beach in gale force winds. |
| The emergency services in Cornwall declared a major incident after the 16,000-tonne Kuzma Minin grounded off Falmouth’s Gyllyngvase beach before dawn. | The emergency services in Cornwall declared a major incident after the 16,000-tonne Kuzma Minin grounded off Falmouth’s Gyllyngvase beach before dawn. |
| HM Coastguard plans to try to refloat the listing 180-metre carrier at high tide just after 1pm. | HM Coastguard plans to try to refloat the listing 180-metre carrier at high tide just after 1pm. |
| At around 9am on Tuesday a coastguard pilot was winched on to the stranded ship via helicopter. | At around 9am on Tuesday a coastguard pilot was winched on to the stranded ship via helicopter. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, Marc Thomas, the coastguard’s senior operations manager, said: “We have declared a major incident. We have three harbour tugs here and what we are trying to do is get a line on to the vessel so that we can tow it off the beach as the tide starts to flood in.” | |
| He said the bow of the boat appeared to be touching rocks but no pollution has yet been reported. Two of the three harbour tugs surrounding the ship have managed to secure a line, Thomas added. | |
| Speaking from the scene at 11.20am, Harry Dennis, science and policy officer from Surfers Against Sewage, said part of the boat appeared to be free of the beach. “It is rocking with the waves, but it seems that the bow of the ship is still grounded,” he told the Guardian. “It has rotated so it looks as if the stern could be free. | |
| Earlier, in a statement, the coastguard said the Kuzma Minin grounded at 5.40am after dragging its anchor during strong winds. | Earlier, in a statement, the coastguard said the Kuzma Minin grounded at 5.40am after dragging its anchor during strong winds. |
| It said: “A lifeboat is standing by at the scene. The Falmouth coastguard rescue team have cordoned off an area around the ship.” | It said: “A lifeboat is standing by at the scene. The Falmouth coastguard rescue team have cordoned off an area around the ship.” |
| The vessel, which has 18 Russian crew on board but no cargo, was reported to have set off from the port of Terneuzen in the Netherlands. | The vessel, which has 18 Russian crew on board but no cargo, was reported to have set off from the port of Terneuzen in the Netherlands. |
| Former Falmouth senior pilot captain David Barnicoat said the accident occurred during “horrendous” winds. | Former Falmouth senior pilot captain David Barnicoat said the accident occurred during “horrendous” winds. |
| Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, he said: “It’s a classic grounding in bad weather and strong winds. The wind overnight was pretty horrendous. Where I live I hadn’t heard wind like it for quite a few years.” | Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, he said: “It’s a classic grounding in bad weather and strong winds. The wind overnight was pretty horrendous. Where I live I hadn’t heard wind like it for quite a few years.” |
| He added: “It sounds as if she dragged anchor and the engines may not have been ready or she may have had some other problem. Once that anchor breaks from the sea bed and you start dragging then you have no control whatsoever.” | He added: “It sounds as if she dragged anchor and the engines may not have been ready or she may have had some other problem. Once that anchor breaks from the sea bed and you start dragging then you have no control whatsoever.” |
| He said he feared local tugs would not have the power to pull the boat to safety. | He said he feared local tugs would not have the power to pull the boat to safety. |
| Barnicoat said: “Our tugs won’t be powerful enough to get her off unless the wind dies right away. You need something of about 100 tonnes and we just don’t have that available.” | Barnicoat said: “Our tugs won’t be powerful enough to get her off unless the wind dies right away. You need something of about 100 tonnes and we just don’t have that available.” |
| He also warned of the risk of pollution. “It is a little bit rocky where she is, so there could be some pollution. Just to the south-west of the beach it is all rocky shoreline so there is potential for pollution.” | He also warned of the risk of pollution. “It is a little bit rocky where she is, so there could be some pollution. Just to the south-west of the beach it is all rocky shoreline so there is potential for pollution.” |
| Ian Cocklin, a former sailor in the Royal Navy, tweeted pictures of the boat saying: “It’s huge and it’s close.” | Ian Cocklin, a former sailor in the Royal Navy, tweeted pictures of the boat saying: “It’s huge and it’s close.” |
| @BBCCornwall @Skentelbery it's huge and it's close.... pic.twitter.com/pldtJCrXTc | @BBCCornwall @Skentelbery it's huge and it's close.... pic.twitter.com/pldtJCrXTc |
| Data from the shipping monitoring site Marine Traffic showed the Kuzma Minin started to move ashore just after 4am when southerly winds were gusting around 55mph. | Data from the shipping monitoring site Marine Traffic showed the Kuzma Minin started to move ashore just after 4am when southerly winds were gusting around 55mph. |
| Marine Traffic chart showing how the Kuzma Minin dragged anchor before running aground off Falmouth pic.twitter.com/S0poWtGnCp | Marine Traffic chart showing how the Kuzma Minin dragged anchor before running aground off Falmouth pic.twitter.com/S0poWtGnCp |
| Dennis said Surfers Against Sewage were monitoring the rescue attempts. “We are going to be reporting if anything changes, particularly if there is any potential pollution incident. We know that this vessel wasn’t carrying cargo, but there will be fuel tanks on board.” | Dennis said Surfers Against Sewage were monitoring the rescue attempts. “We are going to be reporting if anything changes, particularly if there is any potential pollution incident. We know that this vessel wasn’t carrying cargo, but there will be fuel tanks on board.” |
| Falmouth resident Jess Hughes described the morning’s weather on the Cornish coast as “extreme”. | Falmouth resident Jess Hughes described the morning’s weather on the Cornish coast as “extreme”. |
| “As you come over the crest of the hill there’s just this huge ship where there shouldn’t be,” she told the Press Association. “Last night it was horrendously windy and now there’s gravel up by the road so it was a good high tide,” she added. | “As you come over the crest of the hill there’s just this huge ship where there shouldn’t be,” she told the Press Association. “Last night it was horrendously windy and now there’s gravel up by the road so it was a good high tide,” she added. |
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